FSU football: Top 5 keys to Noles defeating Clemson Tigers

I spent a great deal this week providing context on Saturday’s matchup between FSU football and Clemson. I’ve discussed how FSU already faced a defense comparable to Clemson in Notre Dame.

I’ve discussed where FSU ranks in terms of offenses the Clemson defense has seen this year and how different FSU’s offense is to a Pittsburgh offense that defeated the Tigers last week.

FSU’s offense is the third-best offense the Tigers have faced, and they’ve lost to the other two, with Pittsburgh ranking one spot in front of the Noles.

I’ve discussed how the ‘Noles defense matches up with the Clemson offense. If you’ve watched both teams in the past couple of weeks, I think you’d be surprised FSU is a +10 betting underdog, though a portion of that is because Clemson will be in front of their home crowd.

I think FSU football fans believe the Noles have a decent shot of winning the game. However, the doubt of the last 3-4 years remains along with the four consecutive losses to begin the season.

It’s easy to think FSU football could revert to turning the ball over and multiple penalties. However, we’ve seen improvements in this team while Clemson has not shown any signs of progress on offense all season while suffering impactful injuries on both sides of the ball.

I think much of this game will be determined in the first quarter. Whichever team can find momentum early will create a huge edge. Here are my five keys to victory for the Noles.